BELIZE DISTRICT
THEFT OF MOTOR VEHICLE
On the 14th of January 2018, Danny MARTINEZ, 26 year old Belizean Police Officer of Belize City, reported that sometime between the hours of 6:30pm on the 13th of January 2018 and 4:00am on the 14th of January 2018, his Toyota Camry with License Plate #C-55112 was stolen from where it was parked; on the street side in front of his house. Police are investigating.
SAN IGNACIO TOWN
ROBBERY
Esmeralda YAEGUI, 19 year old Belizean Student and Resident of San Ignacio Town, reported that on the 14th of January 2018 at 1:00am, she was selling tacos along with her sister-in-law on the Bullet Tree Road when they were approached by two male persons. One of them was armed with what appeared to be a firearm. The male person with the firearm demanded that they handed over their money. Fearing for their lives, they handed over an undisclosed amount of money to the assailants who then made good their escape and whilst doing so fired two shots. No one was injured. Police are investigating.
PUNTA GORDA TOWN
DEATH INVESTIGATION
Personnel from the Professional Standards Branch and Crimes Investigation Branch are investigating the death of Mario VERNON, 24 year old of Punta Gorda Town. Initial investigations revealed that at about 9:30pm on the 13th of January 2018, police officers were on mobile patrol on George Street, Punta Gorda Town, when they received information that one Mario VERNON was in a yard with a firearm. The officers proceeded to the area. Upon arrival they observed Mario VERNON running in a nearby yard towards Middle Street. Police set chase after VERNON, who was observed with what appeared to be a firearm in his hand. VERNON while running, pointed the firearm towards the officer who was pursuing him. The officer fearing for his life, drew his .38 service revolver and fired a single shot which caught VERNON to the right side of his head. VERNON was transported to the Punta Gorda Town Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His body now awaits postmortem examination. A .380 pistol was retrieved from the scene. The Commissioner of Police had ordered a joint criminal and internal investigation into this incident.